Thursday, June 05, 2008

Should kids have mobile phones at school?

from wHere's another cartoon pinched from the Fiji Times. The Education Department has banned them in Fiji schools. Okay, but who collects them every morning and gives them back in the afternoon? There are two letters in today's paper discussion the topic of Fiji kids and their mobile phones. Of course this doesn't apply to children up in Navosa in the hills, but mainly to Suva children and the anxiety of parents wanting to know their whereabouts and keep in touch. Of course mobiles being used in classtime is inappropriate but hey guys, it's the year 2008, and technical aids such as vodophones are common. So what do you think?

I wonder if mobile phones are banned in Methodist churches in Fiji? A few fun ring tones would pep up a sermon eh? Jonny Baker told us of a gimmick they used in England - people rang in 'their sins' and a phone answered them 'Your sins are forgiven!' Another time they arranged for all the phones to go off at the same time in the middle of a worship service. It was like a pentecost experience!

4 comments:

Lola Smith
said...

man, our school is one of the many schools banned from bringing mobiles...however, mobiles are left in the office every morning and returned in the afternoon if student carries a note from home or parents talk to the principal. otherwise mobiles seen in classrooms or anywhere else in school will be confiscated. but most of us tend to misuse that priviledgeeg. a famous face here in fiji (we'll call her A).. A's daughter is allowed to bring her mobile to school provided she leaves it in the office. fone was then seen during class hours with messages being sent to unknown boy...point is-->what do the teachers do then??

Hello Lola,Kids today are so smart with technology that their grandparents are left way behind. Phones with cameras really ought to be well away from the classroom as some rotten kids take photos of legs etc! I was a teacher once upon a time and how simple it seemed to be then!Teachers today should talk to the kids anyway about good and bad use of mobiles, about privacy, safety, stranger danger, etc.w.

Bula sia again,Our family in Suva have about seven mobile phones for seven people! They are being sold at present for $9 with $10 of free calls, so you can hardly beat that. What a contradictory place Fiji is - kids in the towns with mobiles and kids in the bush without. even electricity.w.

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About Me

Babasiga (pronounced bambasinga) is the dry land of Macuata in northern Fiji - our place in the sun in Fiji. Peceli is from Fiji from the village is Vatuadova and the beach is Nukutatava. Peceli Ratawa passed away on 27th December 2015 so this is Wendy's blog now. Wendy is an Australian and today live in Geelong, Australia.